Month: July 2022

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Minute Meditation – Saving Souls

Solanus could meet people where they were in their spiritual life and draw them closer to God. When non-Catholics came for help, he respected their position and faith. Certainly “ahead of his time,” he was able to reach out to people of other faiths in a simple, friendly way long before Catholics discovered ecumenism. Yet he sometimes might suggest gently that they investigate the claims of the “Mother Church.”

“Perhaps you are more Catholic than you think you are,” he would say with that little twinkle in his eye and a warm smile. Always grateful for his own Catholic faith, he respected others for whatever faith they had, and he counted several ministers and rabbis as sincere friends.

—from the book Gratitude and Grit: The Life of Blessed Solanus Casey, 
by Brother Leo Wollenweber, OFM Cap, page 64

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Minute Meditation – Accepting God’s Plan

One evening a lady came into the office. She had just come from seeing her husband in the hospital. She asked Solanus’s prayers and requested that he telephone her husband and give him some words of comfort. Solanus called the man’s room and told him that his wife was in the office and had asked for prayers for his recovery. After a few words of encouragement he said to the man, “Now, John, I will be praying for you this evening. I am going to pray for a happy death.” It was not what the man or his wife expected to hear, but Solanus was able to prepare them to accept God’s plan. The following day the man died a happy, peaceful death, and his wife and family found peace also.

—from the book Gratitude and Grit: The Life of Blessed Solanus Casey, 
by Brother Leo Wollenweber, OFM Cap, 47

//Franciscan Media//

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Minute Meditation – Striving for Perfection

Conversion was a matter for serious consideration with Solanus, not only in the lives of others but especially for his own soul. Sometimes he would say to a visitor, “You pray for my conversion, and I will pray for yours.” Again, in a letter: “Only in heaven can we be satisfied as being fully and really converted.” Thus he was at all times mindful of his own need to strive after perfection by the practice of virtue. A novice brother reported how he had seen Solanus running to the office when his call bell rang. The superior, who was standing in the corridor, called out sharply, “Father Solanus! Don’t run, slow down.” Immediately Solanus stopped, then slowly made his way to the office. Solanus’s humble act of obedience made a lasting impression on the novice.

—from the book Gratitude and Grit: The Life of Blessed Solanus Casey, 
by Brother Leo Wollenweber, OFM Cap, page 65

//Franciscan Media//

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Who’s Really the Boss?

Does Your Stuff Control You?

Who’s REALLY the Boss: You or Your Stuff? – Feed Your Soul: Gospel Reflections

THIS WEEK’S GOSPEL IS LUKE 12:13-21

If some is good, more is better, right? Wrong. Enough never seems to be enough.

Having things isn’t bad, but it’s easy to get wrapped up in our stuff and let it control us.

Today, Jesus’ parable takes a different approach, and Allen shows us how we can use our stuff to heal the world.